The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-12-26

iHHOIuHl uHu HOpclcoS dputhl w '"S
women who do this sort of work keep
them in such poverty. For an intelli-
gent and expert woman there are
dozens of occupations where the wages
are double those paid for sewing In
making artificial flowers, in braid.
making, in passemen;erle, in hat maxi
ing, glove.making. mems necklles etc.
the wages paid for work above the
simplest drudgery are sufficient to
enable women to live in decency, II nop
much more"
A member of well-known clothing
firm by whom system OF cooperation
has been practiced for several years, so
| that the lowest sewing women. MS well
rs the foremost salesman, shares in the
profits, said;
1.-The lowest prices paid upon the
average for the sewing upon mems
clothing cannot be much increased so
long as what we call the country COM
petition exists. There may be instan-
ces in which women here and there are
compelled to take less than the market
price for their work, but as a rule the
wages paid for work of each class av-
erages about the same through the city
Competition is Just as sharp between
the employers, or more so, than be-
tween the employed. In many instan-
ces clothing is sold at a serious loss in
order TO hold business here from going
to Philadelphia or Oh 'cago, and If the
maker of cheap clothing gives more
than the market price for making it,
1t ha N n
for him in quick order. The country
competition to which / have referred is
the chief cause of low wages among our
sewing people of New York. Very
few people know that much of the
clothing sold by our wholesale dealers
here and in Boston is made up by farm
ers' wives and daughters at prices
which would not allow them to live,
but furnishes them with pin money and
little Injuries. Every year, at stated
seasons, dozens of wagons, loaded down
with clothing ready to sew, start out
from the large towns of New England,
and distribute their burdens among the
farmers houses, to be called for in the
same manner when finished. These
women do the work at odd moments
and in the evening and the business is
growing larger and more systemat'z cd
every year. Competition between the
farmers wives again cuts down the
price. and as money is worth more in
the isolated country districts than in
large cities, The farmers wife and
daughters may be quite well satisfied if
they receive half dollar for an even
ing's work. 1t is sad that more than
half the scwing-machines scattered
through the New England farm-houses
have been pad for by work done in
this way, the middleman who gives the
work out taking sewing machines with
him TO distribute, and accepting work
in lieu of money Until New York be-
gan to do this business upon large
scale in the farm districts of the upper
parts of the state. Boston had quite an
advantage over our wholesale makers
Of cheap clothing. for the system has
hourished there for the last ten years
The neighboring counties in New Jer-
sey now take n great deal of this kind
of work from New York houses. There
are more than twenty firms which make
Il business Of getting work from large
manufacturers and distributing it
throughout the country neighborhoods,
having in each small town an agent
who visits the farm houses, taxing and
collecting the clothing"